Self-kindling fuel container



y 2, 1967 c. W. GENTRY 3,317,290

SELF-KINDLING FUEL CONTAINER Filed Aug. 25, 1965 Fig.

Carlyle W Gentry INVENTOR.

BY 5mm United, States Patent 3,317,290 SELF-KINDLING FUEL CONTAINER Carlyle W. Gentry, 408 Mountain View Ave., Bluefield, W. Va. 24701 Filed Aug. 25, 1965, Ser. No. 482,454 7 Claims. (CI. 44-38) This invention relates to a combustion aid and more particularly to a kindling device in the form of a fibrous container impregnated with combustible fuel and especially useful for kindling charcoal and the like.

Various materials such as charcoal have gained widespread popularity as a fuel for cook-outs. However, a recognized problem in utilizing such materials is that they are extremely diflicult to ignite due to the high temperature required for initial combustion thereof. Consequently, there have been developed various starter agents to aid in the ignition of the charcoal fuel. These starter agents usually involve either soaking the charcoal with a liquid fuel having a low combustion point or placing the charcoal in a cardboard container and either igniting the fuel or the cardboard container.

Each of the above prior methods of starting charcoal fuel has proved to be deficient in that the former gives oif an objectionable odor which is imparted to food being cooked and is dangerous due to flare-ups, while in the latter, the cardboard container is consumed too rapidly to reach a sustained high temperature and thereby allow the charcoal fuel to be fully ignited.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a combustion aid for fuels requiring a relatively high temperature for a sustained period of time in order to provide for initial combustion thereof.

In accordance with the above object, it is an object of the instant invention to provide a kindling device in the form of a container for holding charcoal or other fuels.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved inflammable container for fuels such as charcoal and the like which is readily adapted to fit into charcoal grills or stoves.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a kindling device for igniting fuels requiring a relatively high temperature combustion point for a sustained period of time, which device is slow burning and does not give off objectionable odors or fumes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a container for holding and igniting charcoal or other fuels which includes a wick containing an impregnated fuel therein, which wick is shaped to provide increased surface area for contact with the charcoal, and which wick holds the charcoal in desired burning position and allows increased airflow under the charcoal.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a container for holding and igniting charcoal or other fuels which is relatively easy to manufacture, store or ship and which may be fabricated from readily available materials.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the inflammable container comprising the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating the container in place in a grill; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail, reference numeral refers to the inflammable fuel container .tion by external comprising the present invention. In the embodiment of the invention disclosed in the drawings, the container 10 includes body member 12 in the shape of a truncated Cone. The body member 12 is preferably made from a fibrous material such as pressed paper or cardboard and the body member 12 includes a plurality of radially extending corrugations 14 therein. The body member 12 also includes a central opening 16 and a peripheral edge 18, the corrugations 14 extending from the opening 16 radially outwardly to the peripheral edge 18. Further, as may be observed in FIGURES 1 and 2, the corrugations 14 taper outwardly from their uppermost location adjacent the opening 16 toward the peripheral edge 18 and thus are wider at the outer ends thereof adjacent edge 18.

Also provided integrally with the peripheral edge 18 is a flat upturned flange portion 20 which extends circumferentially about the peripheral edge 18 and together with the corrugations 14 provide a chamber for holding combustible fuels such as the charcoal briquettes generally indicated at 22. It may also be observed in FIG- URES 1 and 2 that the flange 20 is formed by turning up the peripheral portion of the outer ends of the corrugations 14 an equal amount at the edge 18, and thereby the outer ends of the corrugations 14 are flattened out. Thus, when the peripheral flange 20 is so turned up, the ends of the corrugations 14 adjacent the peripheral edge 18 will be substantially flattened. Accordingly, the corrugations 14 are at a greatest height adjacent the opening 16 and because of the turning up of the peripheral flange 20 the corrugations will decrease in height from the central location toward the peripheral edge 18. Thus, it will be observed that the flattened portions of the corrugations adjacent the peripheral flange 20 provide an enlarged chamber for holding the charcoal briquettes or other combustible fuels used with the container.

The instant form of the container is fabricated from an elongate rectangular strip of material which is approximately four inches wide and thirty-four inches long which is first corrugated and then bent or twisted into the present shape. The board includes ends 24 which are joined in abutting relationship by adhesive strip 26. At this time, due to the bending of the elongate board into the preferred shape illustrated in FIGURES l and 2, the opening 16 is formed and the corrugations 14 will be caused to taper outwardly therefrom and the truncated conical shape is formed. Of course, as described above, when the peripheral flange 20' is bent upwardly the cor rugations 14 will be flattened adjacent the peripheral edge 18 and a chamber forced in the container 10. By bending up the peripheral flange 20 along the peripheral edge 18 and binding the adjacent edges of the board 24 with the adhesive strip 26, the container will be held in the truncated cone configuration as illustrated.

At this stage of the construction, the container 10 is dipped into a wax-like material such as petroleum wax or either a well-known animal or vegetable wax which has been preheated to approximately 250. Due to the fibrous nature of the board used in construction of the container, the wax will become impregnated in the board thereby driving out any moisture contained therein and substantially sealing the board from contaminamoisture. Further, the application of such wax helps to held the container in the folded conical configuration described above. By virtue of this waximpregnation, the fibrous board constitutes a wick for the wax, such as a wick in a candle which is surrounded by the candle wax, and when the inflammable container 10 is ignited it will burn slowly and continuously for a sustained period of time as the wax and fibrous board are consumed thereby igniting the charcoal or other combustible fuel which is placed therein.

The container in fabricated form is approximately eleven inches in diameter and thirty-four inches in circumference and may be readily placed in a charcoal grill such as illustrated in FIGURE 2, the grill denoted by numeral 28. Further, the central opening 16 allows the container to be placed downwardly over the normal central mounting post in a charcoal grill, which central post normally supports the cooking tray in place over the charcoal. Thus it will be observed that the instant invention provides an extremely practical device for igniting charcoal fuel and is readily usable with existing charcoal grills.

Further, by virtue of the generally conical shape of the container, the charcoal briquettes or other combustible material which is ignited by the use of the container is supported above the base of the grill or stove thereby allowing air to get the burning surfaces under the charcoal and also under the container, thereby providing increased intensity of heat allowing the charcoal to be more readily ignited. The inflammable fuel container 10 is lighted by applying a flame to the upper portion of the peripheral flange 20 when the container is loaded with charcoal and in place in the grill or stove. By applying the flame about the periphery of the container an equal burning of the container is achieved, and because of the wax impregnated in the fibrous board the rate of burning is relatively slow and the heat achieved is relatively high. Thus, the charcoal briquettes receive heat from the container on their bottom surfaces, at which point the circulation of air provides a great concentration of heat, and due to the slow rate of burning, the charcoal briquettes are readily ignited.

Of course, it will be appreciated, that the container 10 may be fabricated in other shapes, such as for example it may be square or rectangular. Also, the number of corrugations may be varied, thereby increasing or reducing the volume or capacity of the container. Further, the particular design of the container, that is, the corrugated bottom surface on which the charcoal briquettes rest keeps the briquettes in place, and the multiple number of channels provided by the spaces between the corrugations in conjunction with the flattened outer portions of the corrugations allows all the charcoal briquettes to be started at the same time. Thus, an even temperature, extremely hot bed of briquettes is achieved by the use of this invention. Further, the fact that the moisture is driven out of the fibrous material comprising the body of the container by the application of the wax fuel, as well as the fact that the wax seals the fibrous material insures that moisture will not interfere with the operation of the inflammable container even after a long period of shipping or stoppage and exposure to the outside atmosphere.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to thet exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An inflammable container constructed of deformable and resilient material, .said container being adapted to have combustible fuel disposed therein and comprising an upstanding cylindrical member including an upper marginal portion, the vertical extent of the lower por- .4 tion of said cylindrical member below said upper marginal portion being less than one-half the diameter of said cylindrical member and having axially extending and circumferentially spaced corrugations formed therein terminating at their upper ends at the lower extremity of said upper marginal portion, said cylindrical member being creased around said lower extremity and the lowermost marginal edge of said cylindrical member being radially inwardly and upwardly displaced so as to form a truncated shallow and hollow cone of said lower portion with said lowermost marginal edge disposed at an elevation spaced at least slightly above a plane in which said crease is disposed and defining the minor diameter end of said cone.

2. The combination of claim. 1 wherein said container is constructed of fibrous material and at least partially impregnated with a combustible material.

3. An inflammable container for combustible fuel comprising a body constructed of panel-like material, said body including a shallow hollow centrally apertured truncated cone-shaped center portion terminating at its major diameter end in an integral and generally cylindrical peripheral flange, said center portion including a plurality of radially extending circumferentially spaced and radially outwardly diverging corrugations extending outwardly from said aperture and forming heated air passages operable to circulate heated air under fuel briquettes disposed on said center portion.

4. An inflammable container for combustible fuel comprising a body constructed of panel-like material, said body including a center portion which is centrally apertured and includes wall portions inclined downwardly and outwardly from peripheral spaced points about said opening, the lower ends of said wall portions terminating in an upstanding peripheral flange extending about the plan periphery of said body.

5. An inflammable container for combustible fuels comprising a body member of generally hollow shallow conical shape having a centrally located portion and a peripheral edge, said central portion being centrally apertured and including radial corrugations extending from said aperture to said peripheral edge, and an upstanding peripheral flange coextensive with the outer extremities of said radial corrugations.

6. The container of claim 5 wherein said corrugations increase in width outwardly from said centrally located portion to said peripheral edge and are of greatest height adjacent said aperture and decreasing in height toward said peripheral edge.

7. The container of claim 6 wherein said body member is of a combustible fibrous material and is impregnated with a material capable of supporting combustion.

References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 8,088 2/1899 Great Britain. 429,683 6 1935 Great Britain. 754,421 8/ 1956 Great Britain.

OTHER REFERENCES Fritos Publication; date recd in US. Patent Office, July 15, 1957, page 5.

DANIEL E. WY'MAN, Primary Examiner.

C. F. DEES, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN INFLAMMABLE CONTAINER CONSTRUCTED OF DEFORMABLE AND RESILENT MATERIAL, SAID CONTAINER BEING ADAPTED TO HAVE COMBUSTIBLE FUEL DISPOSED THEREIN AND COMPRISING AN UPSTANDING CYLINDRICAL MEMBER INCLUDING AN UPPER MARGINAL PORTION, THE VERTICAL EXTENT OF THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER BELOW SAID UPPER MARGINAL PORTION BEING LESS THAN ONE-HALF THE DIAMETER OF SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER AND HAVING AXIALLY EXTENDING AND CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED CORRUGATIONS FORMED THEREIN TERMINATING AT THEIR UPPER ENDS AT THE LOWER EXTREMITY OF SAID UPPER MARGINAL PORTION, SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER BEING CREASED AROUND SAID LOWER EXTREMITY AND THE LOWERMOST MARGINAL EDGE OF SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER BEING RADIALLY INWARDLY AND UPWARDLY DISPLACED SO AS TO FORM A TRUNCATED SHALLOW AND HOLLOW CONE OF SAID LOWER PORTION WITH SAID LOWERMOST MARGINAL EDGE DISPOSED AT AN ELEVATION SPACED AT LEAST SLIGHTLY ABOVE A PLAE IN WHICH SAID CEASE IS DISPOSED AND DEFINING THE MINOR DIAMETER END OF SAID CONE. 